Jewish Hospital shares stories to encourage organ donation

Approximately 110,000 Americans are on the waiting list for organ donation, including more than 700 people in Kentucky.

Unfortunately, 19 people die every day across the country waiting.

That's why Jewish Hospital is trying to fight the fear of organ donation with heart-warming stories.

Vickie Doyle and her friend Kathy Mattingly share a common bond -- the loss of a family member.

In December, Doyle's daughter, Mary Ann, died suddenly of heart failure. But long before her unexpected death, she made one thing clear.

"My daughter had told me, 'If anything happened to me Mom, they can use anything, I want to be an organ donor.' So I knew when I walked in the hospital that day, that's what our plans were," said Doyle.

Mary Ann's organs saved several lives, but organ donation doesn't just save the lives of recipients.

"When I heard her heartbeat in that stranger, it changed my life forever," said Mattingly.

Mattingly said the donation of her daughter's organs after a tragic accident took her life and the life of her two children, help keep the surviving family going.

"I'm just so grateful for what they have done and how they've continued their daughters legacy by donating a heart," said transplant recipient Annie Dunn.

Recipients like Dunn understand the sacrifice and fear for families. After a heart transplant, she said she's a living witness of the life in organ donation. She, like many recipients at Jewish Hospital, were introduced earlier to their donor families.

The donor families were given a special rose box from the hospital as a keepsake for their gift.

"We would all just like to thank the donor family for what they have done to give me a second chance at life," said Dunn.

In 2010, approximately 22,000 successful organ transplants were performed. It is estimated that twice as many could have been performed if more people donated organs, and twice as many life-saving stories could have been told.

In the United States, a new name is added to the waiting list every 11 minutes.